“Out of Plain Sight” Premieres at SBIFF, Exposes Hidden Ocean Pollution Crisis

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — More than half of the films showcased at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) were directed by women, including Out of Plain Sight, an environmental documentary making its West Coast premiere.

Directed by Los Angeles Times environmental reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist Rosanna Xia, the film uncovers a long-buried environmental crisis beneath the waters off the coast of Los Angeles.

The screening of Out of Plain Sight at SBIFF marks a full-circle moment for Xia, as the film was inspired by research at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“It all started when Professor David Valentine, truly a hometown hero here in Santa Barbara, came across these eerie barrels on the ocean floor,” Xia said. “We asked: ‘What’s inside them? How did they get there? And how many more are still out there?’”

Through investigative reporting and filmmaking, Xia and her team unearthed the shocking history of thousands of barrels of chemical, industrial and even radioactive waste that had been dumped into the ocean and subsequently forgotten.

“The ocean was treated like the world’s biggest landfill,” Xia said. “This history was literally out of sight, out of mind.”

The film was a collaborative effort, with Xia co-directing alongside Daniel Straub. Straub’s brother, Emmy-winning cinematographer Austin Straub, played a crucial role in capturing the haunting visuals of the underwater pollution.

The film’s sound and score were also integral to shaping its impact, according to Xia.

“Our composer, James Ellington, was with us from the start,” Xia said. “He really understood the spirit of the ocean and the journalism behind this project. The soundscapes created by Gigantic Studios made the film something you truly feel.”

Reflecting on her journey from journalist to filmmaker, Xia credited her co-directors for encouraging her to take the leap.

“I was hesitant because this story is complex—science is hard to get right in any form of storytelling,” she said. “But Daniel and Austin convinced me. I could feel in my gut that they honored the journalism and the science, and they helped bring this story to life visually.”

The festival will be showcasing the film on the following dates:

• Friday, Feb 7 at 6 p.m. at SBIFF Film Center Auditorium #4
• Sunday, Feb. 9 at 12 p.m. At Riviera Theatre – Followed by a research panel at El Encanto with Professor Valentine and other researchers.
• Monday, Feb. 10 at 9:20 a.m. at SBIFF Film Center Auditorium #5

For more information, visit outofplainsight.com.